Best apps and websites you’ve never heard of

The internet's best-kept secrets

I’ve tracked down some of the most interesting apps and websites you might not know exist 

The internet is a vast place and humans are also creatures of habit, so we don’t like to stray far from the comfort of our favourite websites. But we should; change is healthy and who knows what we might discover in the middle of the world wide web? When it comes to apps, the app marketplace is a similar beast. There are masses of undiscovered gems out there just begging to be dug up and enjoyed.
To this end, I’ve put in the legwork and tracked down some of the most interesting apps and websites you might not have heard of................enjoy!

Songkick

Once you learn of the rich musical majesty that is Songkick, you probably won't want to leave home without it. It allows fans to track their favourite artists/bands, and keep tabs on upcoming ticket details and tour dates. SongKick aggregates its information from all corners of the web so no matter how obscure your taste, music fans won’t be left out in the cold.

gamesGRABR

gamesGRABR describes itself as a collaborative games collection. It’s a little like Last.fm (the musical discovery network) mixed with Pinterest - in that it encourages social interaction and viewing of other members likes. Spot a game you like and gamesGRABR allows you to ‘grab’ that game (an image of it at least) and put it into your collection. There’s also an option to buy games from the site’s partners.

Camp in My Garden

With Airbnb being such a success it’s hardly surprising that a number of sites have tried to follow suit. One of the more interesting attempts is Camp in My Garden(CIMG) – we bet you can’t guess the premise behind it…
The site offers users the opportunity to rent out their gardens to others – CIMG just requires each landlord to specify a price (per person, per night) and list any amenities available to potential campers.

Routehappy

You’d be forgiven for thinking Routehappy is just another flight comparison website, but when its mantra reads “all flights are not created equal”, you’ll soon realise your mistake… Routehappy not only serves as a flight checker, it also allows passengers to search for flights on nicer planes, roomier seats, in-seat power options and quality of entertainment on board. Each flight and airline is awarded a happiness factor so passengers can get a real sense of the experience.

PixelPin

If you’re reading this on a Windows 8 PC there’s a fair chance you’ll have stumbled across the Picture Password feature. PixelPin hinges on that very same mechanic, replacing traditional passwords with pictures and photos personal to you. PixelPin prompts you to create four ‘Passpoints’ (points on a picture) to sign in instead.

Compare and Share

There are two facets to Compare and Share: when the site launched in 2013 it initially offered an innovative car and ride share comparison service, it has since expanded to offer people searching for holiday lettings the same tools. With the likes of Zipcar, Blablacar and Liftshare all aboard for the ride, Compare and Share is definitely the go-to place for those on the hunt for affordable carpooling.

Top10

If you’re a frequent user of travel sites such as Kayak and Expedia you might be interested in what Top10.com is trying to do…
Top10 bills itself as “your hotel shortlist” – just type in your destination and the dates you’re planning on going there, and it will compile a list of the 10 best hotels at the best prices. The site uses a combination of popularity data, customer reviews, location, price and research from its own travel experts to provide the top 10 listings.

Imgur

We know our readers like to keep up with the trends, so we’re betting some of you will have already heard of Imgur. Even if you have, bet you didn’t know it was born out of Reddit?
Apart from being a great timewaster, Imgur allows its users (Imgurians) to share images – it also keeps tabs on the most viral images of the day, so it’s a great resource if you’re looking for that next funny Facebook post…

Bloom.fm

Bloom.fm is the online equivalent of your local library, but instead of borrowing books you can go home with something for your ears instead. There’s a 22 million-strong library of songs to browse and hundreds of radio stations that stream for free if you don’t fancy subbing up. Prices (per month) start from $2.50 (€1.80) for 20 tracks, $8 (€6) will get you 200, while $17 (€12) provides you with as many as you can handle.

Cameo

Do you find that after a while Vine videos start to grate on you? Yep, us too. Thank heavens for Cameo then, an adventurous app that aims to challenge the world of mobile video. The app (together with the cloud) lets users edit movie clips and transform them into two-minute-long short films. Next time you think about filming your cat falling off a chair, why not turn your focus to a spot of investigative journalism instead?

CyanogenMod

If you’ve ever dabbled in custom themes or peeked under the hood of your Android smartphone you might have heard Cyanogen mentioned.
CyanogenMod started life deep within the annals of online Android messageboards, but in recent times the team behind its inception have struck out and made it into the big time. CyanogenMod is a firmware for Android that replaces your phone’s stock operating system (OS) with an alternative specialised version. This release makes the install process straightforward, allowing just about anybody to enjoy the many benefits a customised firmware brings.

Droplet

The world of mobile finance and contactless payments is becoming increasingly interesting – Droplet is yet another example of an app that has been designed as an alternative payment method. The app allows the user to load credit to their smartphone and send payments to others for free. It currently supports both Android and iOS platforms.

Circa

Smartphone users have traditionally visited the website of their favourite newspaper or lifestyle publication for their daily news fix. In recent times these websites have also produced their own apps for an experience better suited to mobile. Circa, however, is a little bit different… It’s available purely in app-form and been designed to make it easier to keep tabs on breaking news stories. Circa editors distil news down into only the essential points so the user doesn’t feel as though they’re being bogged down with details. With Reuters' social media editor on board too, it should go from strength to strength.
Circa is currently available for both iOS and Android.

Mindings

With the advent of social networking and video calling it is now easier than ever to stay connected to the people you care about the most. But it’s safe to say that it can still pose a challenge to some, and that’s where Mindings comes in… The app allows the user to send personal captioned photos, text messages, calendar reminders, social media content (and more) to a digital screen in a family member’s home. Where they view the content is up to them; Mindings can utilise the screen on a tablet, mobile phone – practically anything with a working internet connection.

Psonar

Psonar calls itself a “digital jukebox in the cloud”. If you’re wondering how it differentiates itself from other streaming services, it allows the user to listen to individual tracks at a cost of from just a penny. You pay per play so a top up is only necessary when you’ve run out of credits. It’s an intriguing model and we reckon one that’s definitely worth taking for a spin.

Sportlobster

Sportlobster is a social network designed around your favourite sports and promotes itself as a “one-stop shop for sports fans”. The app allows users to track their favourite teams and sports and view live standings, fixtures and results, as well as make predictions on the outcome of the match, race or game. It also encourages armchair pundits to pen their own articles for the rest of the community to discuss and share.

younity

If your favourite cloud storage service got pumped up on steroids we imagine it would turn out a bit like younity… It provides the user with access to all of their files, across multiple devices, at the same time, eliminating the need for syncing completely. It also allows you to share your files with other younity users, so stop reading this and try it out on your iOS devices right now.